Shoe attachment.



No. 682,314. Patented Sept. :0, I901. u. L. BECKER.

SHOE ATTACHMENT.

(Ap plication filed Dec. 19, 1900.

(No Model.)

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UNITE STATES Erich.

HENRY I1. BECKER, OF lVASI-IINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SHOE ATTACHMENT.

SEEGIEIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,314, dated September 10, 1901.

Application filed December 19, 1900. Serial No. 40,417. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HENRY L. BEoKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Shoe Attachment, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to shoe attachments, and particularly to means for holding the connected extremities of the lace; and the object of the same is to provide simple and effective means on the outer or inner side of the top of the portion of a shoe-upper which incloses the ankle to receive and prevent loosening of the tied lace extremities and also prevent them from falling over the front laced portion of the shoe, and thereby obviate the ordinary unsightly appearance incident to the loose character of the lace extremities.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and.

claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a shoe, showing the improved attachment applied thereto and open. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a shoe with the improved attachment thereon shown closed. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the improved attachment and a portion of the shoeupper. Fig. 4 is an elevation looking toward the inner side of a shoe-upper portion, showing a modification.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a shoe of any ordinary or well-known form provided with a lace 2. The extremities 3 of the lace are tied as usual when the shoe is applied and are held in the present instance by the improved attachment, which comprises a flap 4, of leather or other analogous material, stitched at the rear extremity and along the lower edge to the shoe at the top of the side portion of the upper 5, the upper edge and front extremity of the fiap being completely free, so that it can be turned over, as shown by Fig. 1. The upper edge of the flap, near the front extremity thereof, is provided with sockets 6 to detachably engage studs or balls 7, secured to the shoe-upper. It will be seen that when the flap is locked closed it forms a pocket with a front open extremity and is a readilyaccessible position. Moreover, in applying the improved attachment the shoe-upper is not in the least mutilated, and it can be easily placed on shoes already on the market. In securing the lace extremities by the improved attachment the flap 4: is first released from the studs or balls 7 and the said extremities are then pulled over between the loose flap and the shoe, as shown by Fig. 1, and after such disposition of the extremities the flap is closed thereover and secured. The flap is primarily made wide enough to have the sockets thereof just reach the studs or balls on the shoe-upper and to lie close to the portion of the shoe-upper over which it extends when fastened. Hence considerable pressure is exerted on the lace extremities to prevent them from working loose. The lace extremities can be easily removed from the holding contact of the flap when it is desired to unloosen the same, and the said extremities being held in a practically straight line and entering the inclosure formed by the flap from the front open portion of the latter does away with any tendency to pulling, as would be the case if the extremities were inserted in the top of the pocket and partially arranged at an angle.

In Fig. 4 a slight modification in the ar rangement is shown, and consists in disposing the attachment on the inside of the shoeupper and to utilize a portion of the ordinary lining to arrive at the same result of flap formation, as at 8. The lining is loosened at the front portion of its upper edge and for a suitable distance downwardly at its front end from said upper edge and stitched at the bottom line of the width desired and also at the rear a distance equal to the length required. The same kind or analogous fastenings will be used as in the first-described form, and the lace extremities are drawn inwardly into the shoe in this instance and held by the flap in precisely the same manner as heretofore set forth.

It will be seen that the two forms of the de vice explained provide pockets with open front terminations, and whether inside or out side perform the function sought equally as well.

The precise form of fastening devices shown of the attachment, and it is intended to use others that may be suitable for the purpose.

Furthermore, it will be observed that the application of the improvement to the inside of the shoe does not produce any projections that will painfully bear against or cause an unpleasant pressure on the ankle, because the usual thickness of material only is utilized. It is also obvious that the form of the pocket may be varied as long as the salient features of openings at the front and top are preserved.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The combination With a shoe having lacing devices and a lace, of a flap applied to and detachably closable over the upper portion of the shoe and located completely at one side of and at a distance from said lacing devices to form a flexible pocket having a closed bottom to receive and hold the lace extremities exclusively.

2. The combination with a shoe having lacing devices and a lace, of a flap applied to and detachably closable over the upper portion of the shoe and located completely at one side of and at a distance from said lacing devices and having a front open end and closed bottom to receive and clamp the lace extremities exclusively.

3. The combination With a shoe having lacing devices and a lace, of a flap applied to and detachably closable over the upper portion of the shoe and located completely at one side of and at a distance from said lacing devices and having an open top and front end portion and a secured bottom and rear end to form a pocket for receiving and holding lace extremities exclusively.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY L. BECKER. 

